


His Mistake

by Penguiduck



Series: The Fire Emblem Collection [15]
Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, One Shot, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-17 23:10:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21701257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Penguiduck/pseuds/Penguiduck
Summary: You are a soldier, one of the only ones truly loyal to Begnion... and for this reason, you've left the army to fight your own country in hopes of making it a better place. Zelgius has never understood your reasoning, and in the midst of this war, you will have to face him, the strongest general in all of Begnion. Will your heart let you fight?[Reader X Zelgius]
Relationships: Zelgius (Fire Emblem)/Reader
Series: The Fire Emblem Collection [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1443868
Kudos: 29





	His Mistake

**Author's Note:**

> So I started The Fire Emblem Collection well over ten years ago, a series of quality reader-inserts for one of my favorite video games. I've posted on a couple of other archives, but I figured that since Fire Emblem is popular here on AO3, I might as well add what I have here. I will be posting as time permits. These one-shots are fulfilled requests made by friends and fellow readers. **I am not openly taking requests right now, but I may in the future.** I will only take requests through my monthly raffle, which I've linked to below.
> 
> Obviously, my writing has improved and changed over the years, so some of my older works might not be as polished. Apologies. I don't have any intention of going back and editing, but I suppose anything is possible.
> 
> I would like to draw your attention to something I'm trying out to thank those who have left or will leave future comments on my works: [An Expression of Thanks](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20227408/chapters/50634035). If you like raffles and enjoy having your fanfiction requests fulfilled, take a look. ;) I encourage you to check it out! This will occur monthly.
> 
> **With that said, please check out my[1,000 Kudos Flash Raffle!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20227408/chapters/51726001) It is taking place until December 13th -- all entries are welcome. There is no condition for submission. <3 If you'd like a chance to make a FE request (or anything else), this is a great opportunity!**
> 
> This was written back in 2010, and I was really proud of how it came out! I really liked Zelgius. <3
> 
> Please enjoy. As always, comments and kudos are much appreciated! <3

"You want to make me happy? Then stop being STUPID!" In your fit of rage, you threw the nearest thing that you could find, which happened to be a golden goblet. 

Zelgius blocked it with his arm, causing a clanking noise as the goblet hit his armor and then fell to the ground. "_____, I want you to calm down..."

"Calm down?! I've been calm for the past two weeks! And, frankly, when I'm calm, you don't listen to me so I'm through with being calm!" You were filled with anger. Begnion's senate had ridiculous orders, but you blamed Zelgius for obeying them.

He didn't respond. Instead, he gazed at you with sad eyes, ready to listen. "Talk to me."

"Look," you began, taking a deep breath. "I know you're a soldier. You're loyal to Begnion, and there's nothing wrong with that. But" -- you glared at him -- "you can't continue following their demands."

"Then what do you want of me?" Zelgius asked. "Where does my loyalty lie, if not with my country? These are the senate's orders, and I will carry them out as I should."

You threw your hands into the air frustratedly. "That's NOT the point. Being loyal to your country is more than just obeying orders. If you truly love Begnion, then you won't follow its senate so blindly! Do what's best for the people, not what the government demands!"

He looked as though he were about to respond, but then he quieted. You knew then that your words were getting through to him, but you were also sure that he wasn't going to act upon them. He was a soldier to the very end, and you knew that Zelgius wouldn't change. 

"Just forget it." You were sick and tired of this. You hated arguing with him, and, even more, you hated the fact that he wasn't listening to you. "I've had enough." With tired steps, you made your way to the tent's exit. "I'm leaving, and I'm not coming back. Don't even try to stop me." You lifted the flap of cloth, determined to follow through with your plans.

And Zelgius didn't bother stopping you. That was his mistake.

* * *

You sharpened your sword on a rough stone, admiring the way light reflected upon the blade's surface. "Beautiful," you said. It had been several months since you left Begnion's forces. You had often thought about this decision, wondering if it was right or wrong, and, in the end, you couldn't say that you regretted it.

Part of you missed your friends and Zelgius -- _wait. No._ You didn't even want to think about him.

You went over the reasons for your sudden departure, pondering the treatment of the laguz and how the senate wanted them dead. Shaking your head, you thought about your true loyalties. You had pledged your service to Begnion, but you didn't think that you would be doing your country a favor by helping it commit such atrocities. The apostle was right when she declared that she wanted peace... unfortunately, something had happened. You weren't sure what -- all you knew was that something was not right. Empress Sanaki would never allow her army to slaughter the laguz without cause.

When Zelgius first carried out these orders, you fumed, unable to understand why he would take innocent lives because a corrupt senate told him to. Now you knew. _He is weak,_ you said to yourself. _He is the worst sort of person -- he knows what is right and what is wrong, but he refuses to do anything about it._

You hated saying that. Zelgius was a good man at heart, and you knew this. You just... you couldn't stand around and watch him become the senate's pawn. That was exactly what he was. You had to do something about this, which was why you left to join another force: The Laguz Alliance.

They were wary of you at first, thinking that you were a spy, but after you had been interrogated on multiple occasions and spent time in their training regime, they began to trust you. You had served Begnion for several years under Zelgius. While you were only a mere soldier in an army of thousands, you understood Zelgius better than most. Your knowledge of his tactics helped the Laguz Alliance greatly, and with your strategic plans, it seemed as though the Laguz Alliance came out on top of most, if not every, battle.

One day, you were approached by Ranulf, a friend you had made in the Laguz Alliance. "_____, how goes it? You've been awfully quiet recently -- more quiet than usual anyway."

You shrugged. There was a reason for this, and you had been wanting to talk about it, but you never had the opportunity. Now that Ranulf had asked about your mental health, you decided that you could speak. "It was the last battle... I saw several friends whom I had been with since we were first recruited..."

"Ah..." Ranulf said, taking a seat next to you on the grass. "...I see. I'm sorry, _____... I know it's not easy to grasp these things, like losing your loved ones... but this is war. This is what happens."

"I know," you replied. You had known this since you joined Begnion's army. It was actually _why_ you joined -- to protect your loved ones. Only, you hadn't expected that you'd be pitted against them in fate's cruel game. Fighting them was the hardest thing you had ever done. "...it just hurts because they were good people -- not soldiers-- _people._ "

The blue cat placed a warm hand on your shoulder. "You did what you had to do. Don't dwell on this for too long. Your reason for fighting is far greater than theirs..."

While it was nice of him to say that, you disagreed. "...but it's _not_. They were just uneducated about the politics of this war; they were pawns in this sick 'game' that the senators are playing. Their sense of duty was no less important than mine. They just wanted to protected their families and their people."

Ranulf sighed. "I'm sorry... It's hard to remember that when they're your enemies. We're all being caught in this war, and all we can think about is victory."

"It's not your fault, Ranulf. You're doing your best to fight for what is just." You stood up, brushing the grass away from your clothing. "I only wish that others out there would understand what they were fighting for, instead of recklessly risking their lives for the purpose of a corrupt politician."

"One day, perhaps," he said. "Perhaps one day we'll see that happen."

You sheathed your sword in one, quick motion. "I certainly hope so."

* * *

Meeting Zelgius in battle was the last thing that you wanted to do. He was an experienced soldier, someone who was absolutely formidable on the battlefield. Rumor had it that he had never lost a fight, and you believed it. He was much stronger than you were, so you were positive that if you fought him head to head, you would lose.

The day was cold and dark -- it was as though the Goddess had covered the skies with grey clouds to prove to everyone just how dramatic this upcoming battle was. The cats and tigers and had already moved ahead to clash with Begnion's soldiers. 

From your position on a small hill a short distance away, you stood with Skrimir and Ranulf. You knew that this might just be the toughest battle yet, if only because it was the largest. "We'd best be on guard," you said. "Don't know what these people are going to throw at us."

"Just stick to the plan," Skrimir said in his gruff voice, sparing you a glance with his sharp eyes.

You nodded. "Right. Well, I'm off." You weren't about to leave your friends for too long; you'd help them in any way that you could, even if it meant fighting Begnion's army. With a quick breath, you slid off the hill, running into the fray.

This was when you had to cut your emotions off. All of this violence, this pain, this death... no one would be able to live through it unless they detached themselves from the world. Otherwise, they would be engulfed in the hatred, the anguish, everything that came with war. They wouldn't be able to control themselves.

You slashed your sword in an upwards motion, driving a Begnion soldier backwards as he cried out in pain. Before you even had the chance to think of your next move, your reflexes brought you to the side where you dodged a heavy blow from an axe. You then dashed forward, stabbing the axe wielder in the heart, another person falling prey to your swordsmanship.

You probably confused many of the soldiers -- you were only one Beorc warrior among many of the Laguz, and even though you were not in Begnion's uniform, you were still looked upon as one of them. ...at least, that was so until you start attacking Begnion's soldiers.

There were many divisions in the Laguz alliance for this particular battle. Skrimir and Commander Ike's tactician had developed a plan, one that seemed foolproof at first glance. You wondered how long it would take for Zelgius to change his strategy after suffering several, consecutive defeats, and you were genuinely surprised. He wasn't stupid, but it didn't seem like he was catching on -- what you knew about him, the information that you brought to the Laguz Alliance from day one still applied. This meant that either a) he wasn't entirely aware that the laguz had pinpointed his fighting strategy or b) he had a reason for accumulating all of the losses.

Neither option seemed like something that he would do, but you weren't sure what else to think.

Your mind was brought back to the battle when Ranulf shoved you out of the way to avoid a blast of thunder. "Watch it!" he said. "Nearly got your head singed off there! We can't afford to lose you now, so focus!"

You nodded at the blue cat, thanking him for saving your life. Your division's job was to push one section of Begnion's army up the heavy slope of a mountain. That way you could corner them, either defeating them entirely or forcing a surrender. Everything seemed to be going well, but...

...you weren't expecting Zelgius to be here. Once he made his way to the front lines, the tide seemed to turn. The laguz were suddenly experiencing a large amount of casualties. His legendary strength was unrelenting, and you actually became frightened for the safety of your fellow comrades.

He didn't look happy to be here. Others might have said otherwise, but you understood his facial expressions quite well, and he did not wish to fight. Well, his intentions might have been decent -- however, to you, it was action that counted for something, not intention.

You didn't want to speak with him or to even make your presence known to the Begnion general, because, frankly, you weren't _ready_ to speak with him. He had offended you deeply, and you weren't sure if you wanted to forgive him just yet. You did your best to stay out of his sight, fighting other soldiers while you kept a close eye on Zelgius.

Perhaps you were distracted with thoughts of avoiding the general, or maybe you were simply unlucky. Whatever the case was, you hardly noticed a pegasus knight flying toward you, a sharp spear in her hand. She aimed carefully and managed to nick you in the shoulder, extracting a grunt of pain from your lips. You stumbled to the side, the searing sensation causing the sword to fall from your grip.

Naturally, the enemy took advantage of your injured state to attack. A large Begnion soldier saw his chance, raising his lance to finish you, but before you could feel the sharp stab of death, a rush of air hit your face. You opened your eyes, only to see Zelgius, his might sword raised. He had knocked the lance out of the soldier's hand, a fierce gaze in his eyes.

Time seemed to stop, pausing to watch the great Begnion general. Zelgius turned toward you, searching to see if you were injured. No doubt, he noticed the blood from the spear that had struck you earlier, but, truthfully, the wound was not fatal. You refused to look at him.

He breathed in, something he did right before he made an announcement. "Enough," he started, his voice echoing among the sudden silence. "I challenge the leader of the Laguz Alliance to a duel. The weaker party shall evacuate Begnion immediately, surrendering to the other and the war."

His words surprised you... was he really going to end the war? Was this what he had planned all along? You didn't have long to dwell on the thought.

Immediately, a roar sounded in the distance. It was Skrimir -- you knew that he was much too prideful to deny Zelgius this challenge, a foolish thing to do. You had told him many times that Zelgius was not to be underestimated, but that lion would not budge. He had been waiting for this moment, and you were in no position to come between Begnion's strongest soldier and a raging lion.

Skrimir came charging toward Zelgius, already shifted and ready to sink his fangs into his enemy -- that was, if he could even catch him. "I accept your challenge, Beorc!" he announced loudly. "Now let us fight fang to sword!"

The area quickly cleared out. "What the hell is he doing?" Ranulf hissed, pulling you up and supporting you with his shoulders. "He's going to get himself killed! Skrimir, as strong as he is, is no match for General Zelgius!"

"I know," you replied, wincing at the movement. Your shoulder was bleeding even more. "But there's nothing we can do. Just let them fight it out."

Ranulf eyed the pair as he guided you to safety, a short distance away from the battle. He tried to tend to your wound, but he did such a poor job, as he was too nervous watching the fight, that you snatched the vulnerary out of his hand and healed yourself.

The duel progressed just as you had predicted. Skrimir was much too slow to properly fight Zelgius. Every time he leaped toward the Beorc soldier, Zelgius merely dodged to the left or the right -- he made his armor look like normal, everyday clothes. And each time Skrimir made that mistake, Zelgius had the chance to slash out at him with his sword. Soon, the entire battlefield was soaked in blood -- Skrimir's blood. The lion was frustrated, growing angrier with each second. He finally realized that this was a battle that he simply could not win.

"Surrender now," Zelgius said, knocking Skrimir to the ground yet again with his sword. "You cannot hope to stand up to me."

"I've had enough," Ranulf declared. "If Skrimir keeps this up, he's going to die, and King Caineghis will never forgive me." He rushed out, bravely standing between the two combatants. "You've made your point, General Zelgius," he confirmed. "We will remain true to your terms and leave."

It took at least four large tigers to hold the injured Skrimir down as he was pulled away, a fierce glare in his eyes.

Begnion's army cheered for Zelgius as he cleaned and sheathed his sword, for it was he who ensured victory with minimal losses. You couldn't believe it... did he just end the war? Did he just end everyone's pain and suffering? Was it because of him that all of Begnion could go home now?

However, for you, this was no victory -- it was true that Begnion now needn't suffer anymore, but what about the laguz? You had befriended them over this course of time, and you had wished them victory because it was rightfully theirs. They were the ones who had been victimized by Begnion's senate, and they deserved to win this war! Skrimir threw away all chance for the poor laguz who would now have to return to Gallia in shame.

What would you do? The answer was simple, and you were about to follow after Ranulf when you heard Zelgius call your name.

"_____," he said. "The war is over... come home."

You ignored him.

* * *

You weren't sure what you wanted from him. Were you asking for too much? It was true that he had found a way to end the war, but that wasn't the answer you were searching for. With Begnion's victory, they were bound to think of laguz just the same as they did before. Nothing changed. You were happy that your loved ones would be safe, now that they didn't have to fight... it was just that there didn't seem to be a remedy to the situation. Zelgius didn't _solve_ anything. He still answered to the senators in his own roundabout way. His sense of justice might have been satisfied, but yours was not.

The laguz were terribly wounded, not in body but in mind. This defeat cost them their honor and their hope. It was almost like they were being punished for standing up for what was rightfully theirs.

It had started because their messengers were brutally killed -- Begnion's fault. Had the senate not been so rash, then this war needn't have started. But what was done was done, and you had to work with the situation in the present.

You had accompanied the laguz on their way back to Gallia. The news was heartbreaking and angering for many of them. It seemed like the war wasn't over entirely, at least not while such emotions festered in their hearts. One day, as you were sitting outside of the campsite, Ranulf came to converse with you.

"So that's just it?" you asked. "The war is over..?"

"And we've lost," Ranulf confirmed with a sigh. "I had really hoped that things would work out differently, but I suppose it's just not what the Goddess wanted. Makes me wonder what the lesson learned is. ...not everything in life is fair?" Here, he gave a dry chuckle. "Guess we'll just have to wait and see what our future holds."

"Well," you replied. "It's true. Not everything is fair. I mean, if it were then we wouldn't be in this mess. Some chaos keeps us on our toes, you know?" You were being awfully optimistic.

He smiled a sad smile. "_____, not that I don't enjoy your company here, but isn't it about time that you returned home? Don't you have any family or friends you wish to see?"

You exhaled in a sharp scoff. "Like they would want to see me. I've been labeled as a traitor, you know. Turning my back on Begnion, disobeying a superior officer, leaving and joining the enemy... oh, I don't think they'd be too happy about my return."

Ranulf looked sheepish for bringing up such a sensitive topic. "I forgot about that. Apologies."

This time, you genuinely laughed at his reaction. "It's fine. I've discovered the truth -- that's what matters the most. Besides, I've always wanted to do a bit of exploring. Now I can." You wrapped your arms around your legs, bringing them close to your chest. "They can be patriotic without me anyhow," you added bitterly.

"They'll still miss you," he assured, resting a comforting hand on your shoulder. "I'm sure they already do. How could they not?"

Your mind flitted to one, particular person. "Maybe he does." Realizing what you had just said, you corrected yourself. "I-I mean, maybe _they_ do!"

You could not get past the clever cat. "So," he began casually. "Who's _he_?"

"No one," you replied irritably. How could you let that slip? And, more importantly, why should it even _have slipped_? You didn't have any feelings for him.

Ranulf chuckled. "Alright, I won't prod if you don't want to share, but just know this: you'll always have a home in Gallia. You've made yourself a few lifelong friends here. We owe you for your help, and we'll never forget that." He then left, walking toward the campsite where he would tend to his own business.

Thoughts of Zelgius continued to cloud your mind, causing you to wonder in your confusion.

* * *

The war was not over. Under even heavier influence of the senate, Zelgius was to lead his army into battle and exterminate the laguz. Of course, Skrimir was not going to stand for this, so he announced that the Laguz Alliance was going to war once again. Unfortunately, it also seemed that Daien was entering the fray as well, on Begnion's side. Why they would choose to do that was beyond you, but you would not ask idle questions while lives were at stake.

"They're following us," a scout said. "They're making their way through Crimea."

Skrimir growled. "They obviously want another fight! Let's accept!"

"Calm down, Skrimir," Ranulf advised. "We should think of another plan. First of all, we should consider Crimea -- will Queen Elincia even let them through?"

And thus began the debate. Ike and his two most trusted advisers, Soren and Titania, were also here to lend their suggestions. After much discussion, it was decided that Greil's mercenaries would meet Begnion's army head on (the hot-headed Skrimir would just have to sit this one out). Queen Elincia did not have the resources to hold back Begnion at the moment, and it would be best if you had a strategy to defend yourselves instead of depending on her to refuse the enemy passage into Gallia.

Your anger at Zelgius flared. He was not being sincere when he had first ended the war; he was now taking new orders from the senate again, and since he couldn't find anymore loopholes in his direct orders, he wouldn't even bother trying to stop this slaughter. You should have known.

In your next battle, with the help of Queen Elincia's retainers, you defeated Begnion's army.

...yet, something happened that you did not expect. Upon seeing that Queen Elincia had laid down her sword and declared that Crimea would remain neutral, Zelgius left with his portion of the army. Only the wicked Senator Valtome and his soldiers stayed to fight. Although you could not hear the argument from where you were, Senator Valtome was infuriated at Zelgius when he turned his back and left without a word. 

In your heart, there was a pulse of joy -- did Zelgius just disobey a direct order? _I think he did!_ you told yourself happily. Maybe he finally saw that he could no longer serve such a corrupt senate, and he had put his foot down. Regardless of the reason, he threw aside his loyalties to the senate, taking the initiative to do what he thought was morally right.

Though you were exhausted from the day's battle, you were much too excited at your discovery to sleep that night. Instead, you went for a short walk in the forested area. It wasn't a smart idea going out at night all by yourself, but you hardly cared.

You were happy.

Zelgius had done something that you had wanted him to do for a while. ...at the same time, you were curious -- did he do what he did for you? It shouldn't have mattered, but it did. You were ecstatic either way, but you still wanted to know.

You had come to a small pond in the middle of the forest. Lily pads and flowers bloomed atop the pond, while the surrounding trees were peaceful and beautiful. The moon was bright and illuminated the area in its soft, fluorescent glow, even reflecting upon the surface of the water. You sighed; you could say that you were satisfied now, even content. The war was not over, but you were at peace... it was a strange concept, and you thought that you should reevaluate your priorities.

"_____." You recognized that voice. Some stray hope had wished that its owner would be here tonight, and here he was.

Without turning around to look, eyes still fixed on the pond, you responded. "Zelgius... what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with the army?"

There was a brief moment of silence. Then your heard the crunching of grass and fallen leaves beneath his boots. "I have left the army."

When you finally turned to face him, you didn't realize just how close you were -- less than a foot apart. You had to tilt your head upwards to look into his face. "What?"

"Valtome was displeased, and would have had me executed for disobedience if the apostle had not arrived--"

"The apostle? She's well?" This was good news! You had been afraid for her, afraid that those power-hungry men in the senate may murder her and claim that she had been assassinated by a third party. What some would do for power! It was revolting.

Zelgius nodded. "Quite. However, it has reached my ears that my master, Lord Sephiran, has been stripped of his titles, arrested and imprisoned. I must return to Begnion to free him."

Lord Sephiran was a good man. He had always worked beside the apostle to make Begnion a better place. Now, however, he was obviously incapable of doing so. Zelgius was right to make the decision to rescue him.

"...what does this have to do with me?" you asked.

Begnion's general smiled lightly, reaching out and taking your hands into his. "I made a mistake, letting you leave. Losing you... it was painful, the most foolish thing that I had ever done. The moment I let you walk out of that tent -- I regretted it. But I was too prideful, too rash to go after you, thinking that you would return to me instead. You never did."

He was pouring his heart out to you -- something that he had never done before. Zelgius had always been soldier material, someone who remained calm and even stoic. That was what was required in these times of war. ...but here he was, telling you everything that had been on his mind, sharing his deepest thoughts with you. You felt as though you were important, that you had done something in your life worth rewarding -- and the reward was his sincerity. 

He had just admitted that it was _his mistake._

"_____, I've finally found you after all this time. Please," he said, his fingers tightening gently around your hands. "Return to Begnion with me. We'll free Lord Sephiran together." You were caught in his blue eyes and his strong gaze, a gaze that now held hope and passion as well as its usual confidence and determination. His lips parted, several seconds passing by as though he were contemplating what to say next. You had never seen him so unsure before. "I... I love you."

Those words tugged on your heartstrings, and you could only stare back, utter surprise apparent in your expression.

"Please, _____..." Zelgius tried one more time. "I can't bear to lose you... not again."

Your eyes stung with tears -- joyful tears. Your own feelings were now becoming clear. In a rush of emotion, you lunged at him, wrapping your arms around his strong neck. You ignored the hard plates of armor between you; you only wanted to embrace him. Zelgius responded immediately, holding your comparatively small body close to him, running a hand from your back to your waist in a loving motion.

"I'll go wherever you go..." you whispered, wiping away the tears as you pulled yourself away. "I don't want to be separated from you ever again... it was probably the most difficult thing I had ever done." You never admitted to it before, but you missed him terribly while you were away.

He reached out and brushed away the remainder of the tears with a gentle touch of his hand. "Please forgive me, _____. I was too stubborn to abandon my duty... but you made me realize that protecting the people, the innocents... that is my duty, and I shall never fail again."

You smiled, and in a sudden rush of passion, you leaned upwards, bringing your lips to his. It was your first kiss, given to Zelgius, the greatest general of Begnion. He seemed surprised, but he happily accepted it, even returning the kiss.

When you broke away, breathless, you saw a genuine smile on his face. "Letting you leave... that really was my mistake." He leaned in for another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [Tumblr](https://penguiduck.tumblr.com/) for updates and insight on my writing process!


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